On Feb. 15 and 16., at 7:30pm, DanceAspen will premier its two-night winter season production of “Ember Glow,” a showcase featuring works by the company’s own choreographers Matthew Gilmore and Jonah Delgado, as well as guest choreographers Gabrielle Lamb and Noelle Kayser. The works will focus on the rich local history of Aspen, and even the venue itself.
According to a press release from DanceAspen, this production is said to be a “captivating fusion of innovative dance and athletic artistry.” Executive Director Laurel Winton further described it as a production that offers a “vibrant and evocative” retelling of Aspen’s history.
“Aspen is a very tight-knit community. We’re very proud of our culture and our extremism in athletics, nature and all of that,” Winton told The Sopris Sun.
“It’s a brand for us in terms of our ability to represent all of the pillars that are very important to us, and give us our own identity in this little mountain town,” she said. “We’re much more than that.”
Gilmore’s piece, which was commissioned by the Wheeler Opera House to create a story surrounding the venue’s history, will be broken up into three pillars of storytelling, and is fittingly titled: “Bud, Burn, Bloom.” It breaks down the three stages of the life of the Wheeler.
“The ‘bud’ section is like a flower. It’s the budding stages of the opening night, the beginning of this beautiful theater in this mountain town,” said Gilmore. “The ‘burn’ section is the actual burning down of the theater — when there were two fires that caused that. The third section is the ‘bloom,’ which I think of [as] community rebuilding and blooming into the high-class arts and culture institution that the Wheeler is now.”
When asked what it was like to be commissioned by the venue itself, he said he researched the venue’s history extensively in order to do it justice. This was his first commissioned piece in his time with DanceAspen and, he said, that while he faced the hurdle of creating a piece that follows a trajectory such as the Wheeler, his collaboration with his fellow choreographers and the tech team for “Ember Glow” has made the process smooth and rewarding.
“Dance is more abstract storytelling. It’s … not a play. It’s not word for word, but it’s a more abstract interpretation,” Gilmore added. “I usually come up with my concepts on my own. I have a vision, and it’s created.”
For this piece, “There’s a lot of moving elements,” he continued. “We collaborated with Buckhorn Public Arts and the fabulous artist Andy Milner created a beautiful backdrop for my piece. He works a lot with plants and perennials, and it’s a beautiful thing that will be revealed on the stage.”
The additional pieces from Delgado, Lamb and Kayser pay homage to Aspen’s culture of extreme sports, address the resilience of community when systems, in and around it, collapse and explore the themes of human ambition, stamina and innovation within a changing world.
Winton said she is excited to celebrate the fact the company is developing a sense of who it is in its fourth year, and to be paying tribute to what makes Aspen what it is, and the Wheeler.
“Going into our fourth year, we’re developing a strong sense of who we are, and the right people are sticking with us and driving the vision with us,” Winton stated. “ I’m also looking forward to celebrating this historical moment for the Wheeler. It was our very first platform for the company, and so I have a lot of respect for the establishment. I’m looking forward to spotlighting its creativity and its innovation. In actuality, the Wheeler is a huge part of our success as a company of artists.”
To purchase tickets, visit www.dance-aspen.org